


Baby's First Christmas

by ladydeathfaerie



Series: A Midwinter Night's Dream [7]
Category: Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Clint delivers a baby, Feelstide, Language, M/M, Minor Violence, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-03 11:05:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5288363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydeathfaerie/pseuds/ladydeathfaerie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clint and a team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are sent to extract an asset with information about a small warlord who intends to do some serious damage. It should be an easy in and easy out mission. But easy gets tossed out the window when Clint and the asset are separated from the rest of the team.  Having a small army of men chasing you wouldn't normally be a big deal. But he's never been chased by a warlord's army while helping a pregnant woman before. </p><p>He's also never delivered a baby before. There is, however, a first time for everything.<br/> <br/><i>"Lin?" he asked quietly. Even before he'd finished her name, he was on his feet. He didn't like that she didn't answer him right away. It meant she was either thinking about what she would say or she couldn't speak. "Talk to me. Tell me what's going on." </i></p><p>
  <i>"The baby is coming." </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby's First Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> written for the 2015 round of Feelstide.
> 
> the prompt for this was 'a festive miracle' and this is what i came up with. i don't know if it actually qualifies as a festive miracle, but there you go. hopefully you enjoy it just the same.

The small home was nothing special, almost identical to the small homes that surrounded it. But unlike those other homes, it still had all four of its walls and most of its roof. It wasn't perfect, but it would provide protection until evac arrived. Clint glanced at his companion briefly before helping her through the entryway of the building. He stole a look up and down the streets, paying attention to corners and darkened alleys to assure himself that no one had picked up their trail yet, before he followed after her. He made sure to close the door as quietly as possible. Barely a sound disturbed the silence that had gathered around them.

Ears attuned to the world around them, Clint escorted Lin deeper into the house, easily steering her away from the side that had lost part of its roof toward the more solid corner of the building. They wouldn't be able to light a fire, so they needed to be in the warmest area they could find. Maybe he'd get lucky and find a few blankets or rugs that could help keep the cold air at bay. He just hoped that this temporary shelter kept them warm and safe while they waited for an extraction team to show up.

The room he chose was a bedroom. There was little in it. The previous inhabitants had likely taken whatever they could carry when they'd left. The bed was still there, not much more than a thin pad on a low frame, but it had no bedding on it. There was a single chair, left lying on its side when whoever had been sitting in it before had rushed to get out. Clint righted the chair and indicated to Lin that she should take it. She claimed the seat with a soft sigh, her demeanor calm and serene. "Stay here," he said quietly as he turned for the door. "I'm going to go look for anything we can use. Blankets, food, water." 

"Of course," she nodded. He could plainly see the relief on her face. He'd have liked to have made it further before nightfall, but it would have been impossible for Lin. Just making it to this desolate village had been difficult. She was too tired to go any further. And too pregnant. 

Clint sighed and slipped from the room and headed for the next. His mind turned as he looked for blankets, clothing, food, water, and anything else he could find that they might need. Lin's pregnancy was the one piece of intel that he'd needed and hadn't had. 

S.H.I.E.L.D. had gotten information about a young warlord located in north-western most part China who was making an effort to carve his own country out of the corners of a few others. Those efforts so far included mass murder, a handful of bombings, and threats of some kind of giant, destructive act. It shouldn't have been the kind of mission his employers would send him on if not for the fact that the warlord had been using tech far beyond any other agencies ability to deal with. So S.H.I.E.L.D., and Clint, had been given the burden of stopping the man before he could really do some damage. 

The source of said information had said they knew the inner workings of the young warlord's organization inside and out, and was willing to give every bit of pertinent information to S.H.I.E.L.D. in exchange for help fleeing the country and the promise of a new life in the United States. Fury, Phil, Maria, and a few other high ranking, trusted agents had met behind closed doors and discussed the deal. The mission had been dropped in Clint's lap. It would be easy, Maria had said. Walk in, meet the contact, then get out again in a hurry with the contact in tow. Simple as pie. 

Except no one had told him that their contact was a petite woman who was so pregnant, she looked ready to burst.

And, of course, what should have been a cake walk had turned into a goat fuck of epic proportions. The warlord had gotten wind and there had been a gun fight. He and his team had gotten split up. Surrounded by their enemies, whose numbers had been overwhelming, Clint had made the decision to try and run. There had simply been too many people for him to fight and keep Lin safe at the same time. She'd told him dryly that she was capable of defending herself when he'd mentioned that fact to her. He'd responded by merely nodding at the swell of her belly. 

So they'd ended up here, in this desolate, shelled out village, waiting for evacuation. Everyone on the team carried a small bit of electronics that was actually a high tech, GPS enabled tracking device. Clint's was in his watch and he'd enabled it the moment they'd made a run for it. He'd even sent a couple of text messages from his phone giving coordinates and brief updates. One of the benefits of having Stark's tech in his pocket. 

The only problem with this whole mess was waiting for transport to arrive. It was going to be a very long night. 

His search of the house was quick. He found one more pad that could be added to the bed. That might make it thick enough for Lin to get some sleep. The chair wasn't that comfortable and she needed to sleep. She was starting to droop long before they'd ducked through the house's door. He'd also found some bedding that would help keep them warm as night fell on the village. Night time in the mountains was bad enough. Night time in the mountains in winter was worse. The kitchen had turned up some canned goods that would serve as breakfast and dinner. He'd also found a few bottles of water. It wasn't much of a haul, but it would keep them both going until S.H.I.E.L.D. picked them up.

Lin was still in the chair when he returned to the bedroom. Her eyes were drooping already, letting him know that he needed to hurry. He dug a pocket knife out of one of his many pockets and made quick work of a can's lid using the can opener on it. Another pocket yielded a spoon and a short heating rod that would warm the contents of the can in a short amount of time. Clint clicked the switch at the base of the tech and dipped it into the can. "A couple minutes and that will be warmed through. I want you to eat, then I want you to sleep. You're dead on your feet."

"Mr. Barton, I am very capable of taking care of myself. You are not my father or my husband or even a close relative," Lin replied, her tone curt to let him know she didn't appreciate his ordering her around. Clint ducked his head and smiled. 

"Sorry. It comes with doing what I do. I work with people who take orders so it was natural for me to just bark out orders. I forgot myself for a moment," he apologized. "What I should have said is that I can see you're dead tired and in need of rest. Perhaps now would be a good time to have something to eat, because you and the baby both need protein for energy. Then maybe try and get some sleep while I wait for S.H.I.E.L.D. to pick us up." 

Lin eyed him silently for a few moments, then smiled and tipped her head to the side. "Thank you, Mr. Barton. Your apology is appreciated and accepted. And thank you for risking your life for mine. I did not think it would be necessary." Her voice was soft. He figured it was because she was trying to hide from him just how tired she really was. Clint let it go and went about checking the can of whatever it was that he'd heated up for her. The exterior of the can was warm to the touch, so he took the heating rod out of it and switched it off, then handed both the can and the spoon over. She took the can without a word. The moment she wrapped her hands around it, she sighed at the warmth, then reluctantly let go with one hand in order to take the spoon. 

As soon as she had hold of it, Clint rose and went for the bed. He could feel her eyes on him, watching him closely as he added the pad he'd found in the other room to the bed. "You are not going to eat, Mr. Barton?" 

"I'll eat later, Lin. I want to get the room ready for tonight. The sun will be going down soon and I want it to be as warm in here as I can possibly make it. We won't be able to light a fire to take the chill from the air, so we're going to have to rely on blankets and our own clothes." He turned to offer her a crooked smile after laying a couple of blankets on the bed. She stared at his face for several seconds before giving a nod of her head. Then she turned her attention to her meal and Clint set about making the room as warm as possible.

**~*~**

Darkness crept into the room gradually, leaving them lost to the shadows. Lin had long ago climbed into the bed and settled in to rest. Clint had taken the chair and let himself slip into the zone, that place where he went when he was on a mission. His ears strained to pick up the sound of their enemy approaching, one hand resting lightly on the firearm strapped to his leg while the other was tucked away in the pocket of his winter coat. He'd already catalogued the sound of Lin's breath as she slept and filed it away in whatever part of his brain stored that kind of information. Now he only noticed it when it changed briefly or she sighed in her sleep. With part of his brain attuned to his silent vigil, the rest of it turned to other thoughts.

It was Christmas Eve day back home. Early in the morning. And Phil was waiting for him. Clint was supposed to already be back in New York. The mission wasn't supposed to have lasted more than a day. He'd assured Phil, as he'd boarded the transport that would take him and his team around the world, that he'd be home in time to settle in on the couch with him so that they could watch "It's a Wonderful Life" together. They'd done it every year since they'd become a couple, a quiet and comfortable tradition into which they'd sort of just fallen. After the movie was over, they'd each open one gift from the other before retiring for the evening. 

The rest of the gifts would be for tomorrow. It was something that Tony insisted upon. A new tradition for a new family, he'd told them once. The entire tower was decked with lots of bright, festive holiday decorations. There was a tree in the main living area, bedecked in red and gold with twinkling white lights on it, and then there were trees on each floor for each member of the team who lived there. And while each member of the team kept small, personal gifts under their personal trees, a large portion of the gifts were kept under the tree in the main living area. And those were the gifts that they would be opening tomorrow morning.

Gifts would be followed up by a day of movies, snacks, and food. So much food that they'd all end up passing out. All of them, including Thor. Clint had come to enjoy spending time with his adopted family and he'd been looking forward to doing it again this year.

Instead, he found himself sitting in the dark in a small, bombed out hut that was located somewhere in China. Or Mongolia. Or Russia. Or possibly even one of the countries ending with -istan. He didn't know for certain because there'd been no time to stop and read a map when he'd been trying to get Lin to safety. All he knew was he was somewhere in a small section of Asia, where an insane warlord was trying to establish a new country, with a pregnant woman who was being chased by a small portion of said warlord's army. It was cold as balls out and, last he'd checked, snowing heavily. The temperature in the room had dipped considerably since they'd gotten there. Clint knew that they'd be lucky if the extraction team reached them before the enemy did. 

Lin's soft gasp drew him back from the zone. He heard her shift on the bed, then she made an aborted noise that he knew meant no good. Clint had a sneaking suspicion he knew what that no good was, but he was hoping he was very wrong. "Lin?" he asked quietly. Even before he'd finished her name, he was on his feet. He didn't like that she didn't answer him right away. It meant she was either thinking about what she would say or she couldn't speak. "Talk to me. Tell me what's going on." 

"The baby is coming." 

It was honestly the one thing Clint hadn't wanted to hear. But he wasn't surprised. That was the way this mission had been going since the moment they'd touched the ground. His hand found her shoulder in the dark, fingers dropping a brief, gentle touch there. "I'll be right back."

Memory made his path through the darkened hut easy as he hurried back to the kitchen area. He'd seen a couple lanterns there that he was going to need. Using any kind of lights now would be a bad idea, but there was no way he'd be able to help Lin deliver her baby without them. He sent up a prayer to whoever might be listening that this was an easy birth. A new baby and a small army of men carrying guns would be more than enough to deal with without adding any complications following birth.

Lin was panting softly when he returned to the bedroom, the sound of it harsh against the silence that had settled around them like a cloak. A lighter in his pocket gave life to the lanterns, each one burnishing the bedroom with mellow gold. Clint settled one near the head of the bed while the other got the seat of the chair, which he positioned at the end. For a moment, his mind flashed to all of those TV shows and movies where a woman went into labor unexpectedly and the characters called for towels and hot water. He wasn't sure how necessary they were, but it was a moot point. In this place, at this moment, they were a luxury. Worse, he and Lin were on their own. So they were going to have to wing it.

"How far apart are your contractions?" he asked her. It was possible there was still time before she had to deliver, time that would allow their ride to show up and grab them. 

"They are coming fairly close together. I would estimate every two minutes or so. And there is this, as well." She tossed the blankets back with one hand to show that the thin mattress beneath her was soaked. Well, shit. Looked like Clint was going to be delivering a baby. 

"I guess this will be a learning experience for me, won't it?" he asked lightly. 

"Have you ever delivered a baby before?" Lin questioned, the skin around her eyes tightening up. Obviously she was riding through a contraction.

"No. Have you?" He gave her a hopeful look. 

"No. I have not." She managed to make her face into an apology despite the pain she felt.

"Then its going to be a learning experience for both of us." He only hoped that there would be time to actually deliver the baby before the enemy was upon them. Clint had no illusions that they weren't still searching for the two of them. They'd followed behind Clint and Lin during their flight with dogged determination. He had no reason to believe they'd give up just because it had gotten dark. And there was snow falling. And it was cold as hell out there. They seemed to want Lin in a bad way. They were going to have her, come hell or high water. This was going to be such a fun night. 

"Tell me why those goons are after you," he suggested while preparing for the coming event. His weapon was laid on the seat of the chair, within close reach. The remaining magazines he had were laid next to it so that he could reload quickly when he emptied the current magazine. He then turned his attention to the soft case he'd had slung across his back until they'd found the hut. It held his bow, a few dozen arrow shafts, an arsenal of heads, and his quiver. The bow, one that collapsed for easier carry, was popped open and left resting against the wall by the bed. He then focused on the arrow heads, working at securing some of them to the shafts. 

"Their leader wants me back," she told him quietly, voice a little breathy. He figured the contraction had just ended and she was working on getting her wind back. He glanced at his watch and made note of the time. 

"He's not the baby's father, is he?" 

"No." The denial was immediate. Swift and hard. "No. Fan is not the baby's father. Fan is my brother." 

He could hear the pain in her voice, how hard it was for her to admit that her brother was intent on destroying innocent lives. Her own was probably included on that list. Clint took a moment to stare at her face and saw just how well she'd hidden the sorrow and betrayal. He couldn't imagine how difficult it had been for her to make the decision to turn him in. A little more critical thought brought him to a conclusion he wasn't sure he liked. "He's not after you because you turned information over to my bosses, is he?" 

Lin stared at him directly, her gaze open. He saw the answer in them before she began to shake her head. "No. That is not why he wants me." The pain in her voice was deep, filled with betrayal. He thought she might shed a tear, but she held it back. And then the look of sadness and betrayal was gone, replaced with the pain that came with another contraction. She tried hard not to make any noise, but her hands curled into the bedding until her knuckles were white. He spared a glance for his watch before shifting his attention back to her. He didn't know much about pregnancy, but he knew enough to know that a minute between contractions meant the baby was going to be making an appearance. Really damn soon.

"Tell me about the baby's father," he said, hoping that the change of subject would help pull her mind away from her brother. His words brought a smile to her face, soft and tender and maybe a little bittersweet. He wondered about that but let her talk at her own pace. 

"He was a wonderful man," Lin replied. That singular word choice answered Clint's question and he felt sadness touch him. "He loved me very much. We were planning on getting married. I was going to go to England with him." 

"Was? Not is?"

"Was," she confirmed.

"Your brother?" he asked quietly. It seemed like there was no getting away from the topic of her brother. She nodded, her hand fisting once again. Clint glanced at his watch and checked the time. Less than a minute had passed since the last one had hit. It wouldn't be long now at all. He felt it was a wise idea for him to start getting ready. 

"Yes. When Fan discovered our love, he had Allen killed." There was a mix of emotions in her voice. Love, sorrow, regret, anger. But no hatred. "Not long after, he discovered I was pregnant with Allen's child."

Clint decided he didn't want to know what Fan had decided about the baby. Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped the icon for Google. He frowned when he got nothing. He tried a couple of other apps and got the same result. Damn. Looks like the weather was interfering with his ability to connect with the Internet. Of course, they could be somewhere in the middle of nowhere and that could be why he couldn't get anything to come up. It would have been nice to send a quick text or email to let people know he was alive and that he was going to need medics when the extraction team arrived. And it would have been super nice to search for instructions on how to deliver a baby in the middle of no-fucking-where.

"Allen was English?" It was another attempt to distract her. Hopefully this attempt would work better than the last one.

"He was. He worked for the government. We met at a function thrown by the state. He was very charming, very handsome." She paused a moment, hands curling into the bedding once again. Clint's gaze went to his watch. He was no doctor, but he was pretty sure that Lin's baby would be making its first appearance in the world very, very soon. 

"Swept you off your feet, did he?" Clint smiled at her, encouraging her to continue even as he began laying a few supplies out on the bed. He knew she was watching his every move.

"He did. It was love at first sight for me." Memories brought a soft quality to her voice. He let her linger in the remnants of that evening because he knew it would help her get through the coming ordeal. "By the end of the first week after we met, Allen proclaimed his love for me. Then he asked me to marry him. I agreed straight away. We..." She paused there and gave the appearance of searching for the right words. Clint waited, allowing her the distraction. "We promised ourselves to one another in private." 

He thought about it a moment, then gave a nod of his head. "You had an unofficial wedding. And then an unofficial wedding night." 

Lin blushed, but he suspected it was more to do with her recollection of that evening's events than the actual act. The impression he'd gotten from her over the course of the past several hours was that she was a very forward woman. There was little that threw her or upset her, so talking about sex probably didn't do much to ruffle her feathers. The emotions tied to that special night, however, were a different matter. She ran a hand over her belly. "We did."

"I'm sorry." It was all he had to offer her. She accepted it with a smile, then hissed with pain. "And I'm sorry about this. You should be having that baby in a hospital with real doctors and nurses and people who know what they're doing. I have basic medical knowledge, thanks to S.H.I.E.L.D., but delivering a baby is a little beyond my skills." 

"I have faith that you will do your best, Mr. Barton," she said, voice filled with kindness and honesty.

"I only hope that your baby arrives before your brother's goons do. I don't think I can fight them off and deliver the baby at the same time."

She nodded at that. "Then we should hope that the extraction team arrives before they do."

**~*~**

"Do you have family waiting for you, Mr. Barton?" Lin asked, voice strained despite the fact that she was between one push and the next. It felt like an odd question to ask when she was attempting to force a small human being out of her body, but it was an attempt at trying to distract herself from what had to be an unreal amount of pain.

"Given the situation, I think you should start calling me Clint. Mr. Barton is far too formal for this setting," he suggested with a sheepish grin. Lin took it in stride and gave a nod of her head. 

"Very well. Clint. Tell me about your family." 

"My parents are dead. Have been for many years," he began, taking a moment to listen for any possible intruders. Then his attention was dragged back to Lin and her labor. He was no expert, but he was pretty sure he was seeing the baby's head. "I have a brother, but I don't know where he is now. I haven't heard from him in a long time." 

She nodded. "A wife?" 

He took a moment before answering to listen to their surroundings again. So far, there hadn't been any sign of her brother's men, but he wasn't holding out hope that they wouldn't find this place before S.H.I.E.L.D. arrived. That instinct that had kept him alive through countless dangerous missions was going apeshit. "No wife. No kids. But I've got a husband." Tension ran through her, letting him know that another contraction had hit. "Okay. Push." 

"Your husband doesn't worry when you have to leave?" she got out before doing as he instructed. The noise that came from her throat was somewhere between a scream and a groan. Her fingers were curled tightly around her knees, nails at the tips digging into her flesh as she worked to push the baby out.

"He works for S.H.I.E.L.D. and understands the risks. He also knows that I'm doing something I enjoy and that I'm good at. Doesn't mean he doesn't worry. But he mostly keeps that to himself." Clint did an audio check again, then glanced up at Lin. She looked tired but determined. And scared. It felt like they'd been at this forever to Clint, so he couldn't imagine how everything felt to her. "I've got a found family, too. The team I work with sometimes. When the world is about the implode because of the high threat level. The Avengers." 

Her eyes brightened at that for a moment. "The Avengers? I would love to meet your teammate, Black Widow. She is my favorite." 

One corner of Clint's mouth quirked up at that. Most everyone wanted to see Stark or Cap. Or Thor. Very few people paid attention to the rest of the team. Natasha was about as invisible as Clint was and she was okay with that. It wasn't like they didn't have their fans here and there. Just not as many as Iron Man, Cap, or Thor. "I'm pretty sure she'd like you, Lin. You've got the same fighting spirit that she does." 

Lin nodded and smiled, then let go a cry of pain before she could stop herself. After a quick check, Clint turned his attention back to her. 

It didn't take long after that. Clint kept up conversation in an effort to help distract Lin. He let her ask deeply personal questions about his life while he coached her through delivering her baby. At the same time, he kept an ear out for any sign of Fan's men. Each moment that ticked by without a sound from outside the house gave him hope that maybe the extraction team would arrive first.

The baby's head and shoulders seemed to be the worst part. Of course, given the relative size of the baby in comparison to Lin, it seemed logical that those two body parts would be the worst. Lin did her best to remain quiet, ever aware of the threat of being discovered even though she had to be in a good deal of pain. That didn't mean she was absolutely silent. There was just no way such a feat was possible. 

It all happened in a blur. Lin gave one last push, the baby sliding free of her body and into Clint's hands. He'd seen enough medical shows to know that he needed to clear the baby's nose and throat so it could breathe. Once that was accomplished, he used one of his boot laces and his pocket knife to tie off and cut the umbilical cord. The next second, he was pressing the baby into Lin's arms and turning to pick up his weapon. The blanket barely twitched before he fired off two rounds. There were two corresponding thumps, then rapid chatter that let him know the wolf was fully at the door.

It sounded like they were speaking Chinese, but he wasn't sure. If it was Chinese, it was a dialect he'd never heard before. Frowning, weapon aimed at the door, Clint shifted himself so that he was between Lin and the opening. She put a hand on his arm, prompting him to turn his head slightly. She was right behind him, the baby naked and slick against her chest. He shrugged out of his coat, shifting the gun from one hand to the next, and handed it to her. Last thing he needed to do was worry about the baby catching cold. 

"They will not shoot until they know where I am. Their orders are to bring me and the child back alive." She whispered the words into his ear. Clint nodded and reached for his extra magazines. He felt Lin shift behind him. A few seconds later, the bow was laid beside him on the bed. So were his arrows. He reached back and laid a hand on her in thanks, eyes never leaving the door.

Tension kept his grip on the gun secure. Kept his gaze focused on the doorway. Until he heard a faint crunching sound from beyond the wall at his back. Someone trying to sneak up on them from outside. Then he shifted his eyes back and forth, waiting for some kind of sound of movement to give locations away. 

They tried to coordinate their attacks. When one at the door moved, one at the window moved, too. The report of the gun as it fired was loud inside the small room, as was the wail of Lin's child when it started crying. There was a spate of chatter outside the door that was hard to make out over the echoes of his gunfire and the baby's cries. It didn't matter. Clint's focus was absolute, his actions just a little quicker than theirs. He'd fire through the door, then turn to the window. Face the door again and do it all in the blink of an eye. 

He emptied the first magazine, then the second. Then the third. When the gun was rendered useless by lack of ammunition, he switched to his bow. He trained an arrow on the door, waiting for something to happen. At the same time, his ears strained to catch the sound of the enemy moving outside the hut. It was oddly quiet, leaving him with a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He turned ever so slightly so he could see Lin's face. "I think they're preparing for one last strike. You should get down and keep the baby covered." 

Her eyes went wide with the implication in his words. And he could see the protest she planned making rising to the surface. She was going to try and tell him there was another way. But Clint had seen this movie a time or two. He knew exactly what was about to happen. There was no way out of this mess. He hated that he'd failed Lin, that he hadn't gotten her to safety. And he hated that it was Christmas and Phil was going to get the worst present anyone could get on Christmas. That didn't mean he wasn't going to take a few of the bastards out with him. 

Heavy silence pressed down upon him, the kind of silence that led to a burst of frantic action. Violence and bloodshed was in their future. Clint held his position, arrow nocked and aimed at the door. Ready for the first one of Fan's men who came through it. His ears strained to hear something beyond the holey blanket covering the doorway, beyond the holey blanket over the window. His arms and hands were tense, shoulders aching from being so tight. A millisecond ticked by and felt like a year.

And then there was a sound, faint at first. Clint almost didn't believe he'd heard it. But it came again. It was soft, the noise a shoe made when it scuffed across the floor. Not the sound made by a soldier or trained fighter. More like the sound of someone who knew what was waiting for them beyond the door, someone who was trying to keep their body from suddenly acquiring any new, large holes. Clint pulled in a breath, let it out slowly. Waited. Drew the arrow back farther. 

"Agent Barton, if you even think of loosing that arrow, you'll be up to your ears in paperwork for the rest of your life." 

His tone was so calm and even. The tension slid out of Clint like water running down the drain. He lowered his weapon and turned to shoot a smile of relief at Lin. Then he faced the door again. "Remind me to send a thank you note to Santa because you're one hell of a Christmas present, Coulson. Weapon's down. Its safe to enter." 

The blanket twitched a moment later, allowing a burst of cold air into the room. It was followed by Phil, looking smart in his black suit, weapon drawn and pointed at the ceiling. Natasha was close behind him, her gun ready for any possible problems. When both were assured there wasn't any kind of danger lurking in the corners, they holstered their firearms and moved forward. Coulson started shooting comments into his comm unit while Nat came over to the bed. Her eyes slid over him quickly in order to assure herself he was uninjured, then they flicked past him to Lin and the baby she clutched close to her chest. An eyebrow went up before she shifted her attention back to him. "You're playing doctor now?" 

"Not really. Lin did all of the work. I just cheered her on." Clint rose from the bed and stepped back so that Lin could see the two newcomers. "Lin, I'd like you to meet Agent Phil Coulson from S.H.I.E.L.D. and this is Natasha Romanova." Clint smirked at Nat. "Lin is a big fan, Tasha." 

"Is she?" Natasha asked, a hint of a smile tugging at one corner of her mouth. Lin nodded, a hint of a blush staining her cheeks. 

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Lin said, her voice warm and genuine.

"A medical team is on the way in," Phil told them, his way of joining in on the conversation. "We would have been here sooner, Barton. But you had to pick a remote village in the middle of nowhere to make your stand. This place is so small, it isn't on any of the maps. Not to mention there was one hell of a blizzard going on out there earlier. It wasn't safe to fly until the skies cleared up."

"We made it as far as we could. But we lost the jeep a few miles down the trail. We had to make it here on foot." If either one of them was surprised that Lin had hiked for a couple miles while heavily pregnant, they didn't show it. Of course, after working for S.H.I.E.L.D. for a few years, things like that tended to stop surprising a person. 

"Miss Zhang, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance and I apologize for the amount of time it took for us to reach you." Phil offered a smile to Lin, which she returned with little hesitation. 

"There is no need to apologize, Agent Coulson. Agent Barton took his job very seriously and he kept us both safe." As if the mention was all it took, the baby in Lin's arms cooed softly. There was a sound beyond the door, then the medical team poured into the room. Phil and Natasha fell back, giving them room to work. Clint would have done the same, but Lin reached out and took hold of one of his hands. He could feel her nerves through the contact, so he did his best to be as unobtrusive as possible while the medics looked her over.

Once they were sure that the delivery had been uneventful, that both mother and child were perfectly fine and well, they escorted Lin out of the room. Clint watched them until they were gone before he started gathering up his things. He felt Natasha's eyes on him for a moment, then she followed Lin and the medical team out of the room. That left him alone with Phil. "Did the rest of my team make it out?" 

"They did. They got to the quinjet and took off before they could be caught and detained. Anderson is beside himself for leaving you behind." 

"Anderson did what I told him to do. I'll be sure to put it in my report," Clint replied. He shouldered the case that contained his collapsed bow and his remaining arrows. 

"We've already collected the spent arrows," Phil told him. Clint nodded. 

"Thanks. I'm glad you got here when you did. I figured I was dead." 

"That would have been a really terrible Christmas present, Clint," Phil replied softly. It was as personal as Phil would ever get in a work situation. 

"Then I guess its a good thing I planned on giving you something else, isn't it?" Clint grinned at him, giving Phil a wink before he headed for the door. He heard Phil huff out a laugh as he left the room. Moments later, Phil was at his side and all was right in Clint's world. Looked like it was going to be a Merry Christmas after all.

**~*~**

The door stood open, and Clint could see the interior of the room. There was one bed, a plush chair, and wooden furniture that was better suited to a home than a hospital. He rapped two knuckles against the door frame. "Come in," Lin's voice sounded from inside the room. Clint stepped in, an arrangement of flowers held in one hand while the other had hold of small grouping of balloons and a festive gift bag spewing what seemed like reams of tissue paper from the top.

Her face lit up when she saw him. While some of the sorrow he'd seen back in the tiny house was still there, it was tempered with joy and hope. Those were new and he thought they looked good on her. Her eyes went to the gift and flowers and they went wide. "Mr. Barton. You shouldn't have." 

"Please, Lin. Call me Clint," he reminded her. He allowed her to smell the soft scent that rose from the mixed arrangement before he deposited the whole thing on the stand next to her bed. He put the bag on the adjustable table that held the remnants of her last meal on it. "How are you feeling?" 

"I feel good," she answered with a smile. "I've already met with your superiors. I gave them the information I had and they've assured me that they will do what they can to facilitate my ability to stay in this country." 

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. You risked your neck to get information on your brother to us. The least we can do is make it possible for you to stay here. Going back doesn't seem like an option now that I've laid waste to a good portion of his men. Those that survived will not doubt tell him that you didn't seem to want to return." 

"Thank you for that, Clint. You did not have to put your life at risk for mine."

It might have become awkward, because Clint was ready to tell her that he'd just been doing his job and he was pretty sure that Lin would argue in return that he'd done more than his job, but there was a knock and then a nurse stepped into the room. She was pushing one of those small cribs that hospitals used for newborns, the clear plastic sides showing a small bundle wrapped in a pale yellow blanket sleeping inside. The nurse smiled at Lin as she rolled the crib to a stop beside Lin's bed. "Here we go. Back safe and sound. I'll have someone come in and clear lunch away. Excuse me." 

The nurse left, allowing a few moments of silence to grow between them. The baby was slumbering in its little crib while Lin watched on with affection and love in her eyes. "She's beautiful," Clint told Lin. He received a smile in return, then Lin reached out and carefully lifted her daughter from the crib.

"Would you like to hold her?" Lin asked. The little girl stretched, tiny fists moving slowly as a yawn pulled her mouth open wide. A moment later, she settled into her mother's arms and drifted deeper into sleep. Even as he was considering a polite way to turn Lin down, she was already slipping the baby into Clint's hold. For a moment, he worried that the little one was going to start crying. But his worries were dashed. The babe opened her eyes briefly to look up at him, then went right back to sleep without making a sound. 

Clint smiled down at the child. Holding her wasn't the horror he'd expected it to be. He didn't have much experience with infants and that left him afraid that he'd do something wrong and hurt the child. Apparently, he had the baby holding thing down because the little one didn't seem bothered by being in his arms at all. "I think she likes me," Clint said, raising his head so he could look at the child's mother.

"She should," Lin replied with a knowing smile. "She's named after you." 

"What?" His mind raced at that, trying to figure out what she could possibly name the girl.

"She's named after her father. As well as the man who helped bring her into the world and keep her safe. Alana Frances Zhang." Lin's voice was quiet and calm. Certain. 

"I'm... I'm flattered. And honored. Thank you. It wasn't necessary, but thank you." 

Lin motioned to the rocking chair that rested only a few feet from her bed. "Please. Sit down. You did plan to visit for a while, didn't you?" 

"Oh. Yeah," Clint nodded, then pulled the rocker closer to the bed. He settled himself carefully and rocked the chair just a little bit, attention focused entirely on the tiny person in his arms. He got lost in the miniature details that made up Alana's face, from the tiny mouth to the pert little nose to the fringe of dark lashes that rested against her cheeks. "I brought you a Christmas present. I guess you can also call it a 'Welcome to America' gift." 

"That was very thoughtful of you," she replied, reaching for the silver and blue bag. "Not necessary, but thoughtful. Thank you." 

The tissue paper came out, a pile of silver and pale blue that she took time to fold up neatly before moving on to the other items he'd added to the bag. First out was a package of blankets for Alana, followed by onesies, socks, a little knit hat, and a crimson velvet Christmas dress with white and gold lace adornment. Lin stared at it all, then stared at him. "This is too much. I cannot... Thank you." 

Clint offered her a smile. He was pretty sure part of Lin didn't feel right accepting gifts from a man she knew very little about. But she'd come to the United States with nothing but the clothing on her back. And nothing at all for the baby. She needed clothing and other things. "There's more. On the bottom of the bag." 

Lin frowned at him, but reached back into the bag. When she brought her hand back out, there were three small envelopes clutched between her fingers. She opened each one in turn, looking at the group of gift cards a little dazedly. She stared at them a moment, then turned wide eyes Clint's way. "You really didn't have to." 

"You've got nothing. Those will help you get some clothing. Things you need. I wasn't sure what you would like or anything, so I thought gift cards would be a smart way to go. That way you can get exactly what you want. And in the right size." 

She glanced away a moment. Clint was sure she was taking a moment to get herself back together. He'd seen the glimmer of tears in her eyes just before she'd turned her head. When she faced him again, her eyes were bright but there were no tears to be seen. "Thank you, Clint. You have done so much for me. How can I ever repay you?" 

"There's no need," he replied, making sure she could hear in his voice that he meant it. "I was happy to do it." 

His words were followed by another knock at the door. When he looked up, it was to find Phil and Natasha standing in the opening. Lin offered them both wide smiles and motioned with one hand. "Please Come in." 

Natasha came with a wrapped box and a smile on her face. Phil was carrying a legal-sized envelope, leaving Clint to wonder what kind of paperwork he had with him on Christmas day. She laid the box on Lin's lap, her gaze drifting to the baby in Clint's arms. "We wanted to come say hi. Bring a few gifts. See how you and the little one were doing." A moment later, Tasha returned her attention to Lin and offered her a wide, warm, friendly smile. "How are you feeling?" 

"A little overwhelmed. I didn't expect such a reception," she admitted, her fingers playing with the length of ribbon hanging off the box. 

"S.H.I.E.L.D. likes to take care of their own," Phil assured her. It was an odd statement, prompting Lin to stare at him intently. As if she thought that doing so would make him speak. She'd learn soon enough that such looks didn't work on S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson. 

"It isn't much, Lin. Just something to wear when you leave the hospital. You can open it later," Natasha assured her. She wandered over to where Clint sat and stared down at Alana. "You have a beautiful daughter." 

"Thank you. All of you. For everything," Lin said quietly. There was a hint of emotion in her voice, suggesting that she was close to tears. "This is far more than I expected. You've made a very difficult time in my life much easier." 

"There are more gifts, Lin," Phil replied. He handed her the envelope he held. She stared up at him in confusion a moment, then opened the flap and reached in to take hold of the contents within. Out came a thin stack of papers, along with what Clint knew was a passport. "We've already made it possible for you to stay in the country. It isn't permanent residency. Not yet. But the process has been started. Completing it is entirely up to you. You've got a passport, a birth certificate for your daughter. Everything you'll need to start a new life." 

Tears slid silently down Lin's cheeks. "This is beyond what I expected, Agent Coulson. I don't know what to say." 

"You don't have to say anything," Phil assured her. Then he paused and gave her a full smile. "I do have one more gift for you. Some months back, Natasha was sent on a mission to extract an asset that was in trouble with a minor warlord. A task she was able to complete with ease." 

Phil's hand motioned toward the door. Lin glanced over and watched in shock as a young man of slightly taller than average height, dark brown hair and eyes, and a broad smile on his face stepped into the room. "Allen?" she whispered. 

"I'm sorry, Lin. I wanted to tell you I was alive, but I couldn't. I didn't want to put you in any danger. If I had known what your brother was fully capable of, I would have taken you with me then." Allen turned to look at Phil first, then Natasha. His gaze landed on Clint last. "Thank you for keeping my family safe, Agent Barton. There aren't enough words in the world to tell you what it means to me." 

Clint might have gone with the typical line about just doing his job. But it felt like a really shitty way to go. More than that, he didn't want Lin to think that he'd only helped her because that's what he was supposed to do. "There's no need to thank me. I was happy to do it." He rose from the chair and carefully handed Alana off to her mother. "Now that Allen is here, I think we should give them some time alone. We'll come back and visit later, after you two get caught up. Congratulations, Lin. Allen. Alana is a beautiful baby girl"

"Yes. Congratulations. I will definitely come back because I would like to get to know you better. And I would love to hold Alana, if you would allow me." Natasha was first out the door, stopping long enough to pat Allen's shoulder. 

"Congratulations, Miss Zhang. And welcome to the United States. We'll leave you be now." Phil shot a look at Clint, then started for the door. Clint turned a smile to Lin and saw her staring at Phil speculatively a moment. Then her gaze found his and she offered him a wide smile. She'd put two and two together and knew who Phil was. 

"Merry Christmas, Lin." 

"Merry Christmas, Agent Barton."

**~*~**

"You looked good holding that baby," Phil said quietly. Clint could hear the underlying warmth that told him just how much Phil had liked seeing him hold the little one. They were in the elevator, on their way down to the first floor. Natasha had already taken another car down, leaving the two of them alone for the short time it took to go down four floors. It was really the first private time they'd had since the extraction. He'd have to remember thank her for it later. For now, he was going to relish the time they had together before the craziness of Christmas with the Avengers took over.

"You trying to tell me you want to have kids with me?" Clint shot back. He had to admit that he'd really enjoyed the feel of a tiny little person in his arms. And he'd always wanted a family, a real family, to call his own. But he wasn't sure a child was a good idea, given the life he lived. Between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers, he was constantly in danger. That was no kind of life to bring a child into, no matter how much he might want to. 

Phil turned to look at him, let his gaze slide up and down Clint's frame before bestowing him with a smirk that said he was about to tease"I don't know, Clint. I can't picture you pregnant. Maybe we should consider adopting." 

"Maybe," Clint replied. He leaned in and stole a kiss before the elevator could reach the first floor."Thanks for coming and getting me." 

"I'd go to the ends of the earth for you, Clint. I love you." The quiet assurance in Phil's voice saw warmth exploding along every last one of Clint's nerve endings. 

"I love you, too."

**Author's Note:**

> i was intentionally vague about a few of the details because i didn't want to make errors about the events, as well as people and places, contained within this story. hopefully, my being vague didn't lead to any errors. if they have, i'm so very sorry.


End file.
